Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-10-20
WON AT LAST.

III was a man voice iiltlb uAteGcu the
name, and it was filled with pleading,
passionate intensity He drew a Ill
tie nearer as he spoke, and looked as
though that utterancc of her name was
but the prefix to an eloquent pleading.
But she interrupted him saying:
"Mr. Chaloner, you forget your
self"
II only wish l could" he answered
huskily, "if, in forgetting myself, !
could forget YOU Crystabeli CrySta-
bel! do not turn from me! BE my
wifel 1ry to love me! Oh, child"
Mr. Chaloner," interrupted Crys-
label haughtily, "this is worse than
useless. Say no more. | will not lis
ten. And be so kind as to letme pass.
| would return to the ballroom"
For n moment a struggle took place
within him. He stood in her way, and
as he looked at her, so eXquisitely
beautiful, with the pale light culver
ing over her delicate lace draperies
sprinkled with pearls, he thought
should he let her 60, or tell her why
he had spoken-what was the great
blow that had broken down the bar
rier of his long silence?
"Will you allow me to pass?" re-
peated Crystabel, an angry flame
coloripg her delicate cheek and
sparkling in her lovely eyes This
is, to say the least, uugentlemanly."
"Wait," he said "huskily, Just a
moment, and for Gods sake listen to
me, child! l would never have spoken
to you of this. My love should have
died as it has liyed-in silence. But |
= would save you!"
Save meN She threw her head
back in defiance, and her suddenly
clenehing hand snapped the frail ivory
sticks of her fan. II will not ask you
what you mean. Twill not even try
to conjecture. You deal in enigmGs
and insults. Let me pass!'
AS if she had struck him he stepped
aside, but even in the blazing heat of
her anger she saw and ALWAYS ramem-
bered the agonlzed pain ana pallor Of
his face.
The next moment she was gone,
and he sank down on seat under the
dew-iadened vines with n bitter groan.
Lost! lost! my one love! And how
will she bear the blow that is to comc?
How can she-reared in the rose-leaf
lap of luxury and delicate as snow
hake-battle with poverty and the
world? 1t will kill her kill herl And
l. who would lay down my life for her,
must see it al and be unable to help"
Three hours after Crystabel swept
away from her lover in naughty in
sulting anger, she knew what he had
meant when he said that he would
save her All that he had known must
happen, she now knew had happened.
Summoned from the ball in cruel
unwarned haste, she now stood in her
laces, Jewels, flowers, and beauty, in
the midst of ruin, disgrace, and
death,
Her father lay dead by his own
hand in one room, her mother in terri
fed commissions IN another. and the
house her beautiful, luxurious home
was filled with officers and men.
And she-she, the dainty belle, the
sensitive dollhouse plant, the trail deli
cate GIRL, who had known naught but
sunshine, luxury, and laughter from
the hour of her birth-what did she
do2
With vivid clearness rs singing
MS death. she heard them tell how DC
was-the old story of temptation anu
fall, and death as the only alternative
to lifelong disgrace.
Aad then her stunned heart and
brain turned from the dead TO the iIy-
inc. and her only words We're:
.I.et me 80 to my mother.